I am currently enrolled in the Digital Education Leadership program at Seattle Pacific University. I completed my M.A. in Educational Technology from Pepperdine in 2004 and had taken several courses since relating to Computer Science and Education, but not in a formal program. My interests are in providing support and learning strategies for teachers to teach their content with technology that helps meet the course standards or common core standards. I believe that technology should and can be used as a tool to create connections between course content and real life experiences; including all other courses, the student is taking.
This is my 22nd year in teaching, but only my 17th year teaching High School. I was in my senior year of my Computer Science degree when the department chair asked if I were interested in teaching a couple of sections of the introductory programming course. My focus was on programming languages, and I thought that it would benefit me, what I didn’t count on was enjoying it so much. The following year I worked on my teaching certification. I spent several years teaching at the Community College and Junior High before I found my position teaching Computer Science in High School.
I am originally from Walla Walla, but now live and teach in the south sound, my husband works at Pierce College; my daughter lives and works in Phoenix AZ; my grandson is currently in third grade, and our two cats are leading a pampered lifestyle. I fulfill several leadership positions at school including Department Chair, Assessment Coordinator, and Instructional Technology Coordinator. When not working, I am either reading or working on a puzzle (one is always in the process).